Elliot Anderson: Tuchel's text, becoming a leader & Call of Duty | The Football Interview

0:00 We had Crystal Palace away and I was just sat in the changing

0:02 room getting ready for the game and then a message came through.

0:06 [snorts]

0:06 TT, so I was and he was like, "Can I see you after the game?" Straight away up,

0:09 my nerves were going before the game and stuff and uh yeah,

0:12 I just knew I had to perform and then um he told me the news after the game,

0:16 so yeah, I was buzzing.

0:24 Let's take you back to the very beginning, Elliot.

0:26 [music] Football, how did it first become a thing in your life?

0:29 What are your earliest memories?

0:31 Um I think just obviously I've got I've got

0:34 two older brothers who were football crazy as well.

0:37 Um and my dad loved football and then just watching them

0:41 sort of go go and play football their mates and and things,

0:43 I I just wanted to copy them, I think,

0:45 so in the house there was footballs everywhere and we we'd just play all day.

0:49 Can you remember a first memory or a first

0:51 like specific thing with your brothers maybe?

0:54 Probably my first sort of training session with them.

0:56 I think I went and joined them in with their like team

0:59 at my school on a on a Sunday and joined in there.

1:02 I'd probably say that, yeah.

1:04 How old were you at that point?

1:05 Say I was really really young, probably like third, fourth.

1:10 Yeah, just like messing about with them really.

1:12 I don't I would have stayed out of the games and stuff,

1:14 but and they they they just took me along and they they coach sort

1:16 of let me join in, so I think that's sort of what they tell me about.

1:21 What was the first team then, the first proper team that you played for?

1:23 Um I played for Wallsend Boys Club.

1:26 Yeah, so um quite a famous boys club up in Newcastle.

1:29 Um that quite a lot of players have actually played for, so um yeah,

1:33 I was lucky enough to to get in through trials

1:36 for them and played to them for a few years.

1:38 Tell us what that's like cuz as you said, as football fans we hear a lot

1:40 about it because it's produced some fantastic players.

1:43 Yeah, it's a it's a great boys club.

1:45 Um I think obviously everyone wants to be

1:47 in academies at in in Newcastle and stuff, but the few years before that I think

1:52 the boys club to us to get to was Wallsend.

1:56 And um yeah, obviously all the probably the best players

1:59 around the area joined joined Wallsend, so that was good.

2:01 Can you remember the moment you found out oh,

2:04 that you were going to be able to go and play for them?

2:05 Yeah, I think it's just like trials sort of is

2:08 is like um I think I'd played under sevens to nines.

2:12 Okay.

2:12 Um so I think you go through trials

2:14 and stuff and then they obviously the group gets smaller

2:16 and smaller and then you get the sort

2:18 of the final message to say you made the squad,

2:20 so just happy at the at the time, yeah.

2:23 In terms of where you went on to, obviously

2:25 we know you went to Newcastle and you kind

2:28 of came through the academy there and then you've

2:29 been at another big club here in Nottingham Forest,

2:31 two of England's biggest clubs.

2:33 What was it like coming through at Newcastle and that experience for you?

2:37 Yeah, it was amazing.

2:38 Um it was obviously every every kid's dream

2:41 in Newcastle to play for Newcastle, so um yeah,

2:44 I loved it loved every minute of it and uh just progressing through

2:47 the ages and sort of getting closer and closer to that professional deal,

2:51 obviously scholarship first and then signing my first pro was was

2:54 massive and um putting that shirt on was an amazing feeling.

2:57 How did you get from Wallsend to Newcastle?

2:59 Was that trials?

3:00 Were you spotted there?

3:01 Can you remember that process?

3:02 Um there was a there was a scout from Newcastle

3:04 who sort of used to work at Wallsend as well,

3:06 so I think he put my name forward and uh yeah,

3:08 I used to go to obviously I think the like the development

3:12 things before you could sign on it under nines and then yeah,

3:15 like sort of I signed for Newcastle under nine

3:17 and had to come away from Wallsend, so it's good.

3:20 Sad, I guess I guess to leave Wallsend,

3:22 but that must have been your ultimate aim, wasn't it, to get into Newcastle?

3:24 Obviously you it comes a little bit more serious, you know,

3:27 boys club you've got like tournaments with your mates

3:29 and stuff and then you go into the academy,

3:32 which is obviously where everyone wants to be,

3:33 but it just it just notches it up a level.

3:36 Was there a moment where you kind of looked around maybe

3:38 when you were at Wallsend or or after where you thought,

3:41 "Okay, I could make it here.

3:43 Maybe maybe I've got this opportunity to make it

3:46 professionally." I think that would be probably too young then.

3:50 Um I was always a good player and stuff and everyone would tell me,

3:53 you know, they'd say, "You're better than your brothers." [laughter] Um

3:55 How did that go down?

3:56 Yeah, not very well.

3:58 But uh no, I think that would probably be too young.

4:00 I was probably just playing for the enjoyment

4:02 and stuff and then uh maybe it's obviously towards 15,

4:05 16 you sort of get get an inkling that you you could possibly go all the way.

4:10 There's obviously a lot of years to come, but um I think yeah,

4:13 I sort of at that age I sort of getting

4:15 quite uh excited that I I felt like I was good.

4:24 Has there been a turning point?

4:25 If you look back on your career and you think [music] if that hadn't happened,

4:28 maybe I wouldn't be sitting here playing in the Premier League,

4:31 playing in Europe, playing for England right now.

4:33 Obviously the the most obvious one is leaving Newcastle,

4:37 but that's not to say I probably I might not

4:38 have been in this situation if I hadn't have left, but you never know, do you?

4:41 I've sort of I've came to Forest,

4:43 I've came out my sort of comfort zone and I'll sat where I

4:46 am now and I'm really happy that I sort of made that move.

4:49 What about coming here has got the best out of you?

4:52 Sort of just I think obviously club just believed in me and gave

4:56 me a sort of the platform to go out there and and show everyone

4:58 what I can do on a on a basis and it it just

5:01 helps so much when you've got that sort of backing behind you and yeah,

5:05 off the pitch as well it's given me

5:06 that sort of confidence within the group, you know,

5:08 last season I was quite shy and stuff and now I

5:10 feel a bit bit more like a leader within the group,

5:12 so now it's a really nice responsibility on me and I'm enjoying it.

5:15 What's changed then?

5:16 How have you become from this shy player to now a leader?

5:20 I think just maybe it's performances, you know, like yeah,

5:23 sometimes when you're you're a new player and you

5:26 maybe don't feel part of the group enough, you you you keep opinions to yourself

5:30 and like trying to help teammates and stuff,

5:32 but now I sort of I feel like I've got that voice within the group and um yeah,

5:37 I think I'm happy about that.

5:39 Was it a big change as well, I guess,

5:40 from coming from a club that you knew so well to a new club

5:44 and getting used to kind of how it they do things differently, I guess.

5:47 Yeah, definitely.

5:49 Um obviously the faces in Newcastle were all I knew for three,

5:53 four years of going up to the first team,

5:55 but um yeah, that change sort of took me by surprise,

5:58 but I thought I took it took it really well and uh yeah,

6:01 my first weeks here I really enjoyed it and it it it helped me settle in well.

6:04 You mentioned you're a leader.

6:06 What kind of leader are you, do you think?

6:08 Um I would [clears throat] say more like more on the pitch as a leader,

6:12 not like necessarily do you know, like big talks in the changing room and stuff.

6:17 I'll leave that to Ryan or or Morgs or whoever.

6:20 Maybe just leading by example on the pitch,

6:22 I think, and communication and and stuff like that.

6:25 You've become an England international as well.

6:27 That got a smile straight away.

6:29 What what has that been like for you and is

6:30 it kind of given you a new level of confidence?

6:33 Does it change the way kind of you feel on the pitch?

6:36 Yeah, definitely.

6:37 I think that's maybe also played a part

6:39 in in like feeling like a leader, you know,

6:42 bringing that sort of confidence in in my voice um and just a belief in me

6:46 that people sort of recognize that I'm sort

6:49 of the the player that I thought I was,

6:51 you know, I've always believed in myself,

6:52 but when you've got the backing of of other people it it really helps.

6:57 Talk to me about Thomas Tuchel when you got that first

6:59 call up because I imagine that's every little boy's dream.

7:02 Yeah, it is.

7:03 Um I think it was for the uh we had Crystal Palace away and I was

7:08 just sat in the changing room getting ready

7:09 for the game and then a message came through.

7:13 [snorts] TT, so I was and he was like, "Can I see you after the game?" Hold

7:15 on, you knew what TT was straight away though.

7:17 Well, I just had a bit of a guess, yeah,

7:19 cuz it was it was a bit of talk around at the time and then it said,

7:22 "Can I see you after the game?" So straight away up,

7:24 my nerves were going before the game and stuff and uh yeah,

7:27 I just knew I had to perform and then um he told me the news after the game,

7:31 so yeah, I was buzzing.

7:32 Yeah, it looks like he's put a lot of faith

7:33 in you and is obviously a big fan because straight away,

7:36 I mean it helped with your performances,

7:38 but it feels like a lot of people are saying

7:40 now not only are you going to be in the squad,

7:41 but one of the first names on the team sheet.

7:43 How does that feel?

7:44 Yeah, it's good.

7:46 Yeah, he's he's a top coach, you know,

7:47 he's really sort of helped me going in the group and yeah,

7:51 just sort of coaching me coaching me that role, you know,

7:54 I hadn't played it too much before

7:56 and then I've obviously dropped into the the six

7:57 a little bit more and he's he's helped

7:59 me understand the game and and and coaching.

8:01 What is your best position or what position do you enjoy the most?

8:04 Um You're going to be careful here, aren't you,

8:06 cuz you're not going to want to upset any managers

8:08 or I used to be an attacker, to be honest.

8:11 I used to like a number 10 or winger

8:13 sort of and then I've slowly just dropped back.

8:16 You're saying that as if you didn't want to.

8:18 I really don't care, to be honest, six or eight, I'd say.

8:20 Six or eight, you know,

8:21 getting on the ball and and finding sort of the attacking players

8:24 and and getting them the ball early and in the pockets and letting them

8:28 do their stuff and then obviously when I play eight like the other

8:31 day I've got got more of an opportunity to shoot and and score even,

8:34 so I really like both.

8:36 Yeah, so a lot of people will think of you as a defensive midfielder,

8:38 but actually you still want to score goals cuz

8:40 you've mentioned goals a few times during this chat.

8:42 definitely and it's the hardest thing in football, isn't it?

8:44 So yeah, something I I would love to do more.

8:52 What do you think has changed [music]

8:54 for Nottingham Forest from last season to this season?

8:56 Because you've spoken about as players trying to maintain your levels,

9:00 but you haven't quite reached the heights after a phenomenal campaign last year.

9:03 It's tough to sort of put a finger on like what what has changed.

9:07 Um maybe we we we were really good defensively last season, you know,

9:11 as as a unit and clean sheets and stuff and set pieces and things

9:14 and maybe we've sort of lacked in that department a little bit this season,

9:17 but um maybe it's just a little bit of teams understanding what what we

9:20 were doing last season and sort of realized the way we played and stuff,

9:24 so now we have to sort of evolve our game a little bit and and change,

9:27 but yeah, we're all just just doing what what the manager asks.

9:30 Bringing it back to yourself, um what's the best match you've ever played in?

9:34 Or perhaps one that you wish you could relive.

9:37 I really enjoyed the semi-final against Man City uh last season.

9:41 I really enjoyed that one.

9:42 Obviously we didn't win, but it was uh playing at Wembley was was really

9:46 special and um I'd probably just say my England debut.

9:50 I really loved that, you know,

9:51 coming in from the start as well and performing well was

9:54 What can you remember from it?

9:55 Talk me through it.

9:55 Even I imagine even the and everything.

9:58 Yeah, I was pretty nervous to be honest.

10:01 I think everyone would be, you know.

10:02 You know, in the warm-up, you know,

10:03 and you're thinking every pass needs to be good

10:06 and stuff just to And then your first few touches,

10:08 I think as I sort of started well,

10:10 it sort of gave me that confidence and yeah, just the sort of free-flowing.

10:13 I just picture the pass and getting the ball, passing forward, you know,

10:16 being being involved in a lot of the stuff which I quite like to do.

10:20 In terms of everything you've achieved so far,

10:22 what do you still want to achieve in football?

10:24 I think obviously we're in the best

10:26 best league in the world, the Premier League,

10:28 so I'd say just staying in here with the Premier

10:30 League as long as I can and playing

10:32 as many games in the Prem and I'd love to win a a major trophy of England, too.

10:37 This summer, maybe?

10:37 Hope so.

10:39 [laughter]

10:39 Talk to me a little bit more about your life away from the pitch, then.

10:42 You've already mentioned that you've got two older brothers.

10:45 What was that dynamic like other than the fact

10:47 that growing up there was obviously a lot of football involved?

10:49 No, yeah, it was I loved it.

10:51 Probably two two of my best mates growing up,

10:53 you know, we'd do everything together.

10:54 Three brothers, just always messing about and play

10:57 fighting and just carnage, And your brothers,

11:00 of course one of them is also in the kind of public eye as well,

11:03 but doing something different to yourself.

11:05 Yeah, yeah, he's he went on Love Island actually a few years ago.

11:08 What was that like for you?

11:10 Yeah, it was funny.

11:11 We'd all sort of watch it a bit of pillow

11:13 up blocking when he did some sort of cringey stuff,

11:16 let's say, but no, it was really good.

11:18 He really enjoyed it and he done really well as well, so um No,

11:22 I was really happy happy for him and he's

11:24 came out and sort of gone down a different

11:27 pathway in his life from from beforehand and he's

11:30 he's really really excelling in what he's doing,

11:32 so Cuz he's doing boxing now, isn't he?

11:33 Yeah, he's he's started boxing.

11:35 He he really enjoyed it before he went on and stuff

11:37 and it was always something he'd like to do.

11:40 He sort of quit football quite quite young and he really

11:43 enjoyed like sort of Muay Thai and boxing sort of thing,

11:46 so he sort of went down that avenue, yeah,

11:49 and he he had a fight the other night and won,

11:50 so And you went and watched him, didn't you?

11:52 And he's kind of often in the stands to watch you as well,

11:55 is that Yeah, yeah, definitely.

11:57 It was sort of roles reversed.

11:59 I went and supported him and uh he comes to support me all the time, so yeah,

12:03 I went to to give him that extra bit of support and and he done really well.

12:07 Do you get to go home often to your family?

12:09 What does an ideal day off look like for you?

12:11 Um probably one day off too too short to get

12:15 up to Newcastle cuz of the traveling and stuff, but if I get two days off,

12:19 I'll head up and and see see my family and spend the time up there,

12:23 you know, nice beaches stuff and and just just chill out.

12:27 But they're down here all the time obviously with the with the games.

12:30 What does a day off look like then?

12:31 I'm imagining you just get normally one day off Um I'd go out for breakfast.

12:37 Got a nice spot around here which I like to go to.

12:40 Um walk the dogs.

12:41 You've got dogs?

12:42 Yeah, yeah.

12:42 Multiple?

12:43 Got two dogs.

12:44 Yeah, sausage dog and a German Shepherd.

12:46 Nice.

12:47 Um [snorts] Leo and Obi.

12:49 Okay.

12:49 Have you had the Have you got those recently or Um I've had Leo for about

12:53 a year and a half and then I just got Obi about 6 months ago.

12:56 Yeah, so Are they puppies?

12:58 Carnage.

12:59 Do a little bit of my copy stuff I've got going on in the house.

13:02 And play Call of Duty.

13:04 Ah, you're a Call of Duty player, are you?

13:06 Okay, I was about to ask hobbies.

13:07 Is that Is that up there?

13:09 Call of Duty at the minute, yeah.

13:10 I've got some of the Obviously I go through phases

13:12 of playing PlayStation and stuff when new games come out,

13:15 but at the moment we've got a little group going on called and yeah,

13:19 that's what we spend our most of nights doing.

13:20 You know what the next question is?

13:21 Who's in the group?

13:23 Uh it's me, Nico, Mo, Reece and Macca.

13:26 And We have two V twos here and there and uh me and Nico come out on top.

13:32 [laughter] You are going to say that cuz they're not here to defend themselves.

13:34 No, they're they're they're very good, actually.

13:35 They're very good.

13:36 So days off for you all about chilling and stuff.

13:39 Are you quite a chill person?

13:40 Yeah, I am, yeah.

13:41 You can sort of probably tell.

13:43 I think everyone says that I'm pretty relaxed, you know, and quiet.

13:47 Yeah, I'll just sort of chill in the house, you know,

13:48 and recover from a game really and get ready

13:51 for the next one cuz I've had so many this season.

13:53 You mentioned it before,

13:54 the fact that you've kind of come out of your shell a bit

13:56 and a few people that work here told me it's been the same.

13:58 They've noticed you kind of come out of yourself,

14:01 maybe get get used to your environment a little bit more.

14:03 How much has life changed for you over the past year or so?

14:06 Yeah, it has a lot.

14:08 Um it's And as I say, obviously people when I sort of first joined here,

14:12 everyone sort of said how quiet I was and stuff and uh

14:16 just takes me time to sort of come out of my shell,

14:18 I think and yeah, can't stop talking now, really, but uh [laughter]

14:23 Yeah, no, I just I'm quite quiet and people

14:25 might sort of think I'm I don't know.

14:27 I was speaking to the lads earlier sort

14:29 of before this interview saying like I think one

14:31 of the questions was what would surprise you about

14:33 me sort of thing and uh There you go, you've done your research.

14:35 I'm impressed.

14:36 Yeah, cuz the lads were sort of saying and they said uh

14:38 maybe people think you're quite miserable and I was like, "Oh, cheers."

14:43 [laughter] And so yeah, maybe it's that sort of from the outside

14:45 I probably look like maybe it's quite miserable and boring,

14:47 but So you've you just asked one of my questions and answered it yourself.

14:50 [laughter] Cuz it had me thinking before,

14:53 I didn't really know what to say, to be honest.

14:54 Did that surprise you that they thought you were miserable?

14:56 Not really.

14:57 Oh.

14:59 [laughter] So you're aware you come across quite Maybe it's a little bit,

15:01 you know, I just um Not miserable, it's just I don't know.

15:05 Everyone says I've got a bit of a poker face,

15:07 so I never know how I'm feeling and stuff,

15:09 you know, but uh How have you dealt with that going into England, then?

15:12 Do you Have you been quite quiet there?

15:13 I knew sort I knew people going into England,

15:15 so that was a little bit different.

15:17 I think coming here I didn't know anyone.

15:19 Mhm.

15:19 So it was it was a few tough weeks,

15:22 but in England I sort of know people and things and that's made it so much

15:31 [laughter] [laughter] [laughter]